James Webb on hold

[astronobob]

James Webb Space Telescope launch delayed to December


https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-launch-december-2021?fbclid=IwAR1HDCN_73kGeoFia4xO5 YMwpjoY8ZnDa5UkSb3ElN29kmcWCG338ls9 y00&utm_campaign=socialflow

[Zuts]

alternatively, glass half full https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/09/the-james-webb-telescope-has-a-bona-fide-launch-date/

[Camelopardalis]

Yeah that's awesome...minor delay in the general scheme of things :thumbsup:

I'm sure the new scope will show us great things :eyepop:

[Hans Tucker]

Minor delays? Numerous Delay and Cost Overruns have been plaguing this project for years. Started in 1996 at an estimated cost of 500 million now in 2021 it still hasn't launched and the cost is estimated at just below 10 Billion. Who did they engage to complete this project ... the group responsible for completing Daniel Andrews Westgate Tunnel Project.

[astronobob]

Finally feeling the reality of this monster strive forward in space exploration, such an ambitious project & a credit to so many, yeah, been delayed over and over again, costs exploding etc, tho all for good reason.

I just hope more than anything else Ive hoped for that it all works out with out hitch, speshly when comes to the launch, once out of the atmosphere, we're half way home :thumbsup:

[Camelopardalis]

Why do we care :shrug: we’re not paying for it :P

I’m just looking forward to all the exciting data that will come from it going forward…

[multiweb]

Even if we did who cares. Can't put a price on awesome science. We already spend enough time and money developing better means of killing each other and nobody cares :shrug:

Go Webb! Can't wait to see first light of big aperture in the cold vacuum.

[AdamJL]

My question is, with the delays that have happened, have they used the opportunity to upgrade any of the components? Make them more resilient, or faster, or more sensitive?
Is that where the cost overrun went to? :D

[multiweb]

It's a very complex device on a one way trip with no chance of servicing if anything goes wrong. I reckon they're double, triple, quadruple,... checking everything before they launch.

[Hans Tucker]

Well if you really do care about awesome science you should care about delays and cost overruns. NASA has a finite budget, way smaller than the military, so any cost overruns and delays affects the funding for future projects/missions plus NASA's reputation. Congress scrutinizes NASA's budget more closely than the military and looks for excuses to cut their funding. NASA's future and reputation is on the line with this project.

[multiweb]

:lol: What reputation? They sent people to the moon. Nothing to prove. That's hood rep enough. :P

[Hans Tucker]

Yeah, they can keep milking that to Congress when requesting funding. I am talking about maintaining reputation hard won by successful projects. People don't necessarily remember the success stories but sure as hell remember the failed. I want JWT to be a success but not at the expense of future projects/missions.

[astronobob]

Strangely enough easier said than done, the componants are state of the art, one of a kind, cant just get another upgraded version 'off the shelf'' would need a year or more to redesign, build, check and recheck, then fit into a space which was not designed to fit the newer version, list goes on, and, if was at all possible, then two years of age added to the all other componants and then they would need upgrading, one hell of viciuos circle, the thing would never get of the ground :confused2:

I believe most of the extra time and expence was due to testing which came up with some issues regarding reliablity of movement in the mirror cells that fold out and the heat shield sails which were sticking as they expanded etc, then countless more rechecking because as Marc said, "once Jame Web is in situ, then can not be accessed for repairs, hence, rechecking everything time and time again...
Kind Regards ..

[Shiraz]

They have also upgraded stuff along the way - where necessary.
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Improved_vision_for_James_Webb_Spac e_Telescope

edit: actually, reading how much has been "improved" (= fixed), maybe it was just as well that the program has slipped so much.